How to Strengthen the Patriotism Education of College Students during the New Period

Nuan, Wen, Xin, Guo, Cross - Cultural Communication

Abstract

The patriotism education is an eternal topic. This article uses analysis of the meaning of patriotic education in different periods as the point of penetration. On the basis of analying current situation of contemporary college students' patriotism, this article put forward several new ways to innovate and expand college students' patriotism education.

Key words: Patriotism; China; College; College students

1. THE MEANING OF PATRIOTISM

Patriotism is individual or collective's loyalty and love for his motherland. Specifically speaking, patriotism refers to the members of a country or nation, also we can say the broad masses' deep affection of their country or nation, it is a feeling of reminiscence and love. Patriotism is gradually accumulated during one's long-term study and work and it has the spontaneous nature. It is the longterm sediment of people's national consciousness and homeland consciousness.

Patriotism has the epochal character. Chairman Mao once pointed out that the specific content of patriotism is determined by historical conditions. In China, the meanings of patriotism are different in different period. In the feudal society, patriotism embodied in resisting foreign enemies' aggression, safeguarding national unity and fighting against national splitism. After the Opium War, China reduced to the semi-colonial and semifeudal society, and it that time patriotism embodied in two aspects. For internal aspect, patriotism embodied in opposing the reactionary ruling class which colluded with big powers and betrayed the motherland interest, changing the feudal autocratic system which causes poor and weak of the country and hinders the revitalization of Chinese ethnic peoples. For external aspect, patriotism embodied in opposing the imperialist powers' aggression and defending the nation's independence and territorial integrity. During the period of new democratic revolution, patriotism embodied in overthrowing the feudalism, imperialism and bureaucrat capitalism's reactionary rule and striving for country and nation's democracy and independence.

The initial stage after the founding of new China, patriotism embodied in building and safeguarding the socialist system, promoting the reunification of the motherland, defending the national independence and territorial integrity and positive constructing the socialist cause. In contemporary China, patriotism is mainly reflected in the promotion of economic development, the establishment of a harmonious society, maintaining national stability and safeguarding the national unification.

2. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF CONTEMPORARY COLLEGE STUDENTS' PATRIOTISM

Looking from some important events occurred in recent years, the main trend of contemporary college students' ideology is patriotic and positive. In the pattern of manifestation, they centralized expressing their pride, glory and responsibility to motherland and nation through the collective form. According to reports, during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the official publicly recruited 100000 volunteers and only in the captical Beijing, 220000 college students enrolled in the Beijing Olympic Games volunteer. On hearing the torch relay overseas was disturbed, 3000 Tsinghua University Students consciously participated in the signature activity in 2 hours to expose the shameful behaviour of the "Tibet independence". In the London 2012 Olympic Games, Chinese athlete Ye Shiwen was questioned by foreign media, and Chinese athletes have been unfairly treated, when seeing that, Chinese people, including young students, gave the most powerful support to their national athletes. After the Wenchuan earthquake, many college students donated blood, money and organized various volunteer activities, some of them even risk their life to the disaster area and made every effort to sent warm and caring to the people of disaster areas. The United States' International Herald Tribune also spoke highly of Chinese young students' actions in Wenchuan earthquake. …

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